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Creating an antiqued, aged, or honed finish from polished marble or limestone

Cleaning - Problem Solving - Protection - Care

Before and After Converting from Polished to Antiqued Making Polished Marble Into Antique Finish
Before treatment - reflecting floodlight
Top half treated
After treatment -
now a soft honed finish
These 3 pictures show the before, during, and after of the treatment.  Notice how the reflection of the floodlight changes in the second and third pictures.

This "converting" treatment is done for any of these reasons:
  • Polished marble is already installed and new design criteria call for a softer or more rustic look.
  • Polished marble is available in the desired shapes and colors, but aged marble is not.
  • Polished marble is so badly stained that it would require expensive professional treatment to regrind and restore.
  • To improve traction.

To see how the aging/antiquing process is done using

Fine Stone Restoration of acid etches Fine Stone Restoration - click here!

There is no need for confusion or problems brought about by misidentification of a surface type, yet it happens all too often. If you would like to see why this is the case and how to properly identify a surfacing material ..... Click here

If you are concerned about doing it yourself - consider that the satisfaction of a project is directly related to your knowledge of what needs to be done and how. Who actually does the work is less important. We estimate that 25% of the usage of Aldon products is by "do it yourself" homeowners and we know they are happy because we hear from them.

MATERIAL DESCRIPTION - With Identifying Characteristics

The following applies to the surfacing after it is converted to an aged finish as above.
Typical absorption range = low to medium

Testing your surfacing for absorption rate

Testing for acid sensitivity

Note this on your worksheet for later reference

  • Wide range of colors and vein patterns.
  • Results in a "softer" feeling stone of high character.
  • Can result in harder areas (crystal veins, denser sections) having a slightly raised texture that enhances "feel".
  • Can be done to any polish level of marble or limestone to achieve an increased aging/antiquing effect.
ADVANTAGES TO THIS REFINISHED MATERIAL
  • The great variety of colors, patterns, and veining allow for a wide spectrum of design options.
  • Takes a highly reflective (harder, colder appearance) surface and turns it into a softer, smoother, warmer feeling stone.
  • Can provide a range of feeling from soft elegance to bold statement.
  • Converts to a surface with a wider range of sealing and appearance options.
CONSIDERATIONS      (All Are Preventable!)

(Click links for Aldon's solutions to these issues!)

  • The process to reverse this treatment and restore a polished finish is expensive and requires a professional. Test carefully on an uninstalled piece of the same material, then a small test area first. Be sure the results are desired before proceeding on a large area.
  • If the stone has prior deep scratches or etch marks that remain after treatment - click here.
  • If treated prior to installation and grouting, protect during grouting with "Grout Easy". Click here to see how "Grout Easy" works.

Following are recommendations for products you may need (in sequence of use ) for whichever of the categories applies to you. Please review each and mark your printed worksheet accordingly.

Layed, But Not Grouted

  1.  Grout Easy
  2. Efflorescence            Treatment       
  3. Grout Residue
               Remover  
    (should not be needed after using Grout Easy)     
 Grouted, But Not Sealed
  1. Grout Residue
               Remover     
  2.  Efflorescence            Treatment       
  3. .............Sealer ( see below )
  4. Lifeguard
  5. Care ...........

Sealer Has Been Applied

Important! - First - Click here!

  1. Aldon Products Premium Stripper
  2. ...........Cleaners   ?
  3. ...........Sealer ( see below )
  4. Lifeguard
  5. Care ..........

Regarding Sealing

After the conversion treatment, the stone has been transformed into a "honed" or "tumbled marble" type finish depending on how aggressively it was treated. Review both of those pages to decide which is most appropriate sealer for you.

 

Other care products you might need for this surface type


Insta-Clean
Maintain
Dust Whiz

* Note:       will add another level of gloss to any of the above sealed surfaces.
It also prevents traffic wear to the sealers finish.

Aldon is a supporter of
Intermountain Childrens Home
Click here to learn about
Intermountain Children's Home

 

 

 

 

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Aldon Corporation and are protected under applicable USA and international intellectual property law.